MARQUETTE, MI— The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy has received a grant to install tunnels for the Blue Spotted Salamander at Presque Isle Park.
The DNR Wildlife Habitat grant amounts to more than $27,000. It will be used to create tunnels designed to protect the small amphibians as they migrate each spring from the Island’s woods to vernal pools.
The City of Marquette closes off the road around the park to protect the salamanders, but now foot traffic has become a problem. Blue Spotted Salamanders are small (4-6 inches on average), slow-moving, and difficult to see—especially at night, when they migrate.
The SWP will work with the Marquette Parks and Recreation Department on the installation of the migration tunnels and their final locations.
